CA CA - Barbara Thomas, 69, from Bullhead City AZ, disappeared in Mojave desert, 12 July 2019 #10

[Nikynoo]

I realize that this is a speculative timeline. My concern about it is that at a number of points, possibly with the goal of allowing ample time, this timeline assumes that things took longer than is likely. It also inserts two elements into the timeline that have not been strongly attested to.

1. This timeline has them leaving the Circle K/gas station at 9:30am. I believe the VI said they were at the gas station at 9am; that would be more consistent with an 8:15am start. It sounds like RT was a bit impatient when getting the ice; I doubt that that stop took more than 15 minutes. I agree 15 mins at gas station, so they would leave gas station at 9.15 instead of 9.30?

2. This timeline iassumes that the 360 photo occurred and was separate from the walk at Kelbaker/Hidden Hill. While that's certainly possible -- I think it was implied by the VI's sister in her recollections of RT's call, that would raise other questions: Where was the hill and parking lot? I wish I knew! Why did RT imply that the cars in that lot might be relevant to BT's disappearance? Because it fits with his abduction theory RT's comments might make more sense if the 360 was from one of the rocky "hills" on the walk fromKelbaker/Hidden Hill. Then the parking lot would be the one .7 mile to the north do you have a link to a map for this? would be interested to see this and its relevance to where RT said BT disappeared would be more clear.Agreed

Also, while it's possible that the VI's sister misheard what RT said about the timeline, a timeline with the 360 photo stop possibly being separate in the morning would assume she correctly heard the part about the 360 but misheard several things she remembers hearing RT say about the timeline., No, not really, the timeline given by VI's sister fits better with the 2-30 time that the noon time, everyting else is consistent IMO While that's possible, it has the effect of picking some things from her text while discounting others. I disagree, see my earlier post where I give my interpretation of the text message, but happy to be corrected.

3. This timeline adds a full hour for the preparation and consumption of lunch. AFAIK, lunch is never mentioned in RT's comments to the media or to BT's family. at most a 2 minute interview with media, and a summary of a 'long' conversation in the text. We dont know whether RT mentioned Luch (or breakfast for that matter. Just because it is not in the text, does not mean that RT didn;t mention it in his call (and of course the reverse is also possible) Logically, it is likely that they had lunch somewhere if they left home at 8.15While it's possible that they had lunch, this addition has the effect of stretching out the timeline.

All of these additions have the effect of minimizing unaccounted-for time by moving the end of the timeline closer to a time which fits with RT's statements to the media that he searched for an hour before calling 911,so, are we saying that the timings that RT has given the media and quite likely LE are false? If this was the case, would this not result in an arrest? though it doesn't quite bring it that far. Perhaps your goal was to figure out what they could have been doing that accounted for all that time, if his account was correct? Actually, trying to tie Media, VI info etc together.

If so, it might also be interesting to make a timeline with a less generous estimate of the time at the Circle K, without an extra stop for the 360 photo, and without a long stop for lunch. Without those extra elements, the timeline moves closer to what the VI's sister remembered RT as saying, in which the unaccounted-for time might come between when RT said he last saw BT and when he called 911. I get your point, but by her own admission, she did say her memory wasnt that great, this statement together with the media times makes me think she misremembered , perhaps she misheard mid afternoon, for noon?

I think @Kapua made one of these quicker timelines, which was then discussed by myself and others. Thanks, will check that out.
CA - CA - Barbara Thomas, 69, from Bullhead City AZ, disappeared in Mojave desert, 12 July 2019 #9

JMO

Thanks @LAhiker, bbm=my responses

 

[Reasonable & Just]

Closest sheriff station to the area is in Needles, second closest is in Barstow - both about 1 hour away.

Thanks! @Micheline, I'm sure you know this, but I'm still going to say it: please let someone know where you are going, who you are going with, and when you will return so they can anticipate contact from you.

 

[Nikynoo]

I could go along with that, IF at a later time VI's sister shared that info, saying she'd forgotten to mention at the time of the call with VI... especially considering his fam knew he was delving into this, it would have been especially helpful to know all the stops to be checked out. imo.

I'm sure we will find out eventually lol

 

[Nikynoo]

BBM

Re. the bolded : Hubris. In excess.

I know what you mean, but why do media interviews? That's bound to raise questions all around - take us for example.

 

[Nikynoo]

To me, the timing of what he told the sister makes sense according to when they left the house, the stop at the gas station, the fact they were on their way to a mini camping vacation, it was said to be just a stop-off to look at a rock formation, not a 4 hour interlude in the heat of the day. My interpretation is that what he told media may be at odds with reality, because that would mean they were out walking to look at a rock formation on their way to a camping trip, in the heat of the day in the desert with B wearing barely anything to protect her skin if they'd been doing an actual 4 hour hike, and that just isn't making sense all around. I wonder if R had EVER suspected that the family might delve into this with much scrutiny, or if he felt that being in a different country/continent, they would take his word at face value and not dig too deeply? Because if he had told the family the detailed description of the morning's events, it would've been hard to explain the additional 2.5 hour timespan which elapsed up to 2:30pm instead of noon, and he would've needed to come up with that much more explanation, etc. We can agree to disagree though, but it would be good to know why you believe VI's sister was mistaken about the timings when it seems everything else she relayed seemed to make sense according to what is known via other means. imo

please see my post, which I think, covers off your post.CA - CA - Barbara Thomas, 69, from Bullhead City AZ, disappeared in Mojave desert, 12 July 2019 #10

 

[Reasonable & Just]

I know what you mean, but why do media interviews? That's bound to raise questions all around - take us for example.

I dunno. As a hypothetical, I can think of narcissistic folks who want attention, who want to portray themselves as victims, and who are working a con and figure that "transparency" will win them some supporters. Along the lines of "dress for the job you want" - maybe by putting themselves out there, they think people would not believe them capable of deception. Also maybe they think they are so charming, that people will overlook the bad. It works to some extent. There are definitely examples.

 

[Nikynoo]

Closest sheriff station to the area is in Needles, second closest is in Barstow - both about 1 hour away.

I thought it was the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department Colorado River Station that responded to RTs 911 call, would they not be the closest?

 

[Nikynoo]

I dunno. As a hypothetical, I can think of narcissistic folks who want attention, who want to portray themselves as victims, and who are working a con and figure that "transparency" will win them some supporters. Along the lines of "dress for the job you want" - maybe by putting themselves out there, they think people would not believe them capable of deception. Also maybe they think they are so charming, that people will overlook the bad. It works to some extent. There are definitely examples.

Yes, I get it, but if you want to get away with something, why put yourself out there? I wonder who arranged the media interviews?

 

[al66pine]

RT's Stmts to MSM & Family. Complete? Accurate?

MSM/TV interviews, if not aired live:
What content stays in footage as aired? Sound bites of attention grabbers, like bikini & beer.
The interviews are virtually always edited, so without our having all the raw footage, we do not know what else RT said. And even beyond that, sometimes the reporter talks w interviewee before and/or after the camera rolls, so even if we have all the raw footage, we don't necessarily see and hear everything the reporter asked or everything the interviewee said. And we miss body language too.

What content is edited out? Content which is routine, ordinary, repetitious, boring, irrelevant.
Hypothetical interview, reporter asking husband about MisPers wife: "What happened that day?"
'I woke up, got out of bed, showered, brushed teeth w Crest, put on khakis and polo shirt, tied my shoes, made coffee, drank 2 cups, ate a bowl of oatmeal, the instant kind....' Yada, yada, yada.
^ That part of interview is not hitting the airwaves.

Recounting Events to Family
To some extent the same idea applies, the unusual aspects are remembered. If these ^ tedious details are told, the family member listeners largely do the editing in their heads as the story is told.
JMO.

@Cherwell bbm & @deugirtni bbm Thanks for your posts.
{{ETA: deleted 2 posts I quoted, had broken quotes, did not want to make work for the mods.}}}

 

[artsy1]

I thought it was the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department Colorado River Station that responded to RTs 911 call, would they not be the closest?

It is - that's the one in Needles.

 

[Reasonable & Just]

Yes, I get it, but if you want to get away with something, why put yourself out there? I wonder who arranged the media interviews?

Maybe playing to a potential jury pool. Maybe just can't help themselves - have a need to talk and be seen. Maybe trying to keep good relationships with business or church associates, family, friends or lovers.

 

[Nikynoo]

It is - that's the one in Needles.

oooohhhh. Can ya tell I'm not local

 

[artsy1]

oooohhhh. Can ya tell I'm not local

 

[Kapua]

Yes. And the point?

The point is that you can draw the timeline as it suits you to account for that time, but that's a significant amount of time no matter how you slice it, IMHO.

To review: Travel time is 1 hour 45 minutes - let's say 2 hours to allow for the ice stop, departure time is ~8:15 AM, arrival time ~10:15 AM.

You now have a good 5 1/4 hours between arrival to the Mohave Preserve and the 3:36 PM 911 call.

 

[MsBetsy]

Howso? Weren't we talking about the number the sun and the heat would've done to B's skin if she'd been out in the temps on THAT day, for THAT long?

No, the point being made was that it is cooler there now and temperatures are more appropriate for a drone search and other types of searches.

Imo

 

[Kapua]

And… you can believe RT's account of when BT "went missing" as related to dbdb11's family (12 PM-ish), you can believe RT's story as related to LE (2 PM-ish), or you can believe neither. There are quite a few missing pieces in the puzzle box. IMHO.

 

[PaulaDC]

• We know that they left home around 8.15 am
• We know that they stopped at the gas station for ice about an hour later. Say they leave the Gas station at 9.30.

I allowed 15 mins for ice and an hour from their home to the Gas Station. It is likely that they left home closer to 8.30. I think return from kennels was 8.15.

Route Map Google Maps

Actually, we know that he stopped at the gas station for ice.

 

[oceanstarryeyes]

Snipped by me for focus


“He” refers to Matt S in this post (I’m pretty sure)

@MsBetsy I guess I missed this? I’m wondering if you could please provide a link that Matt is refusing to divulge the way he communicated with his mom? Is it that he refused; or is it that we just do not know?

ETA: Thanks for any help you can provide for me @MsBetsy !

If the posts haven’t been deleted Matt’s first interview he said he communicated often with his mother but only by email. There were several posts from other members after that interview link discussing how terrible RT must be for BT to have to hide her communicating with her son from RT which was all guessing so the posts were probably deleted. Unless Matt has changed his story, he said at the beginning they talked often but only by email.

 

[Jo in Calif]

That's fine, lol.

Not sure in which what part of CA you might be located, but it's doubtful that it is 64f in the daytime for the highs ?
I am not there in the Mojave, but weather reports say 80's-90's.

You are correct that the daytime high of 64 is wrong. But we are no longer in the 90's. We cool down pretty fast this time of year in the desert, especially at night. But the temps that she later posted were correct. Not sure why she gave the 64 daytime high.
Low to mid 70's high this weekend then back in the 80's by Wed.
We are kind of a box of chocolates till end of Oct. then we really drop.
I live in the Mojave desert, 68 years now.

 

[Kapua]

Actually, we know that he stopped at the gas station for ice.

It's 33 minutes from Bullhead City to the Circle K in Needles, CA, according to Google Maps.